Wednesday, August 12, 2009

M-O-T-I-V-A-T-I-O-N!

It’s happened again. You’ve let yourself slip, whether it was taking a way-too-long “vacation” from the gym, or eating just that one extra French fry or chocolate chip cookie…every day for the past two months.

While it may seem like you’ve fallen off the deep end and that it’s nearly impossible to go back, you absolutely CAN! And all you need is a large dose of some good ol’ motivation!

Yup, that’s right. Motivation is the one surefire way to keep you going and bring you one step closer to your goals, because when you’re motivated (and I mean truly motivated) you won’t want to give up!

So, here is a list of ideas to ingrain in your head that will help you keep going and stay motivated throughout the day. If you follow this positive mindset, you’ll never even have to think about getting to that low point ever again.

1.“I can look like that again”:

So many people I know reveal pictures from months, or even years, ago, saying that they’d only wish they could look like that again. Well you can, that is if you think you can and really, truly believe in it. By looking at pictures of yourself at time when you were in shape and healthy, you will be more motivated to keep going!

Try pinning up a picture in your room or on the fridge of what you desire to look like, and then get moving.It doesn’t necessarily have to be a picture of you, either. If there’s a celebrity or athlete who motivates you, by all means let them be your role model to get in shape! Just be careful of setting too high expectations, and know your own body type and what your capable of.

2. “I will be more active throughout the day”

When you’re in shape, you’re more apt to stay active all day long. Whether that’s playing outside more with your kids, or going on a hiking trip with your friends that you’d normally skip out on. Getting involved more and setting a good example for your friends or kids is a great reason to stay motivated!

Also, you’ll be less bored because you now have something to work for: being healthy and getting your body back the way you want it to be! This will make you more excited to get up in the morning and go for that jog, rather than your usual routine of setting the alarm on snooze and going back to bed.

3. “I am getting closer to my goals”

Tracking your progress is a great way to keep you going! When you see the results of all that you have accomplished already, you’ll be more likely to continue. After all, if whatever you’re doing is working, you won’t want to stop!

Keep a record of whatever your working toward, whether that be weighing yourself once or twice a week, or timing your run. When you see the scale or stopwatch time go down, you’re goal will seem more realistic and you’ll want to go, go, go!

4. “I can throw out my ‘fat clothes’.”

Those jeans you keep just in case your weight creeps up again embarrass you. Well, good news my friend: you can finally throw those out or pass them on to someone in need! If you stay motivated and keep working toward your goals, you’ll never have to squeeze into your fat jeans ever again.

And that’s not the only thing to look forward to. You’ll also get to buy a whole new wardrobe full of flattering clothes to fit your new figure. (Now, that’s a good excuse to have to go shopping!)

5. “I will gain confidence”

It’s a known fact that when you feel better about yourself and your body, your confidence will boost as well! Seeing how great you look in the mirror, or how wonderful you feel after a long, sweaty workout will make your confidence level peak!

6. “My social life will beam”

Have you ever opted out of a fun evening with friends because you were embarrassed of how you looked, or worried that you wouldn’t look good in any of your outfits?

Once you get motivated, you’ll no longer have the urge to stay in. Instead, to opposite will happen and you’ll want to go out, socialize and show off your new, improved look! Trust me, having confidence works wonders on your social life.

7. “Life is too short to bed sad or depressed. I can be happy again.”

When your overweight or feeling that you’re working toward absolutely nothing, you are bound to feel sad and even depressed at times.

But, if you start braving the gym again (or even just put on your walking sneakers), you are one step closer to reaching your goals. Knowing that your working for something, rather than doing it all for nothing, will encourage you to keep working at it! Plus, those endorphins you’ll get from working out are an instant mood-booster!

8. “I will look and feel beautiful (and others will notice)”

Of course working out is about you and how you feel, and when you stay motivated you’ll feel a heck of a lot healthier and more beautiful.

But, those wonderful compliments here and there from family members or friends don’t hurt either! When others commend you on your amazing results and tell you how great you look, you’re confidence level will soar to the roof and you’ll want to keep at your routine even more.

9. “I can be a role model for others”

Once you get back into shape, this should motivate you to want to help others. You can show a close friend, sibling or coworker what worked for you, and help them to feel great about their body as well! Seeing others look up to you as a role model should make you feel absolutely wonderful about your achievements, and you’ll want to keep up with all your hard work because now the eyes are on Y-O-U!

10. “I will be in charge of my own life”

Forget all the boxes of donuts and negative thoughts that used to run your life. You and only you are now in charge of your life, and it will feel darn good to say so! After all, it was you and a little bit of motivation that got you to where you are today, so congratulate yourself and let that be an example to keep up with all the hard work.

About Me

I am a 25 year old "Healthy Chick" living in the lovely city of Boston.
I hold an extreme passion for health, researching the newest trends and best fitness tips daily.
I’m obsessed with studying food, living by the Italian's mantra: enjoy what you eat, every last bite, but also be aware of what you're putting inside your mouth. After all, food should be something to savor, not fear and that's exactly why I chose to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
No, I'm not a doctor, nutritionist or personal trainer. I don't have any notable certifications or trophies hanging on my walls. However, I do have a sincere love for what I do, and believe I can offer you fresh, new insights you can't get from magazines or diet books. I don't write just to hop on the "blogging bandwagon." I write because I care about what I do and want to share what I have to say (and trust me that's a lot) with all of my lovely readers!
My newest project: I’m working to make my "Healthy Chicks" blog into a book incorporating older posts with new, fun tips and ideas. So get on board and start reading! Send any suggestions/ ideas to my email.